{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T15:46:16Z","timestamp":1768837576846,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,27]],"date-time":"2023-08-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1693094400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Medical University of Lodz, Poland","award":["503\/1-093-03\/503-11-001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["503\/1-093-03\/503-11-001"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JPM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Melatonin (MLT), a pineal gland hormone, not only regulates circadian and seasonal rhythms, but also plays an important role in many aspects of human physiology and pathophysiology. MLT is of great interest as a natural substance with anti-cancer activities. The aim of this study was to assess the cytotoxicity and apoptosis of MLT, used alone or in combination with one of the most active anti-cancer drugs, doxorubicin (DOX), and a well-known anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone (DEX), on a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)-derived cell line. The cytotoxicity and cell cycle distribution were measured using propidium iodide staining, while apoptosis was assessed using the annexin-V binding method. Additionally, to elucidate the mechanisms of action, caspase-3, -8, and -9 and a decline in the mitochondrial potential were determined using flow cytometry. MLT inhibited cell viability as well as induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G0\/G1 phase. The pro-apoptotic effect was exerted through both the mitochondrial and caspase-dependent pathways. Furthermore, we observed increased cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity as well as the modulation of the cell cycle after the combination of MLT with DOX, DEX, or a combination of DOX + DEX, compared with both drugs or MLT used alone. Our findings confirm that MLT is a promising in vitro anti-tumour agent that requires further evaluation when used with other drugs active against DLBCL.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jpm13091314","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,28]],"date-time":"2023-08-28T01:56:57Z","timestamp":1693187817000},"page":"1314","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Cytotoxic Activity of Melatonin Alone and in Combination with Doxorubicin and\/or Dexamethasone on Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Cells in In Vitro Conditions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0314-2402","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sylwia","family":"Ma\u0144ka","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, 93-510 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Piotr","family":"Smolewski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, 93-510 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2689-7130","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Barbara","family":"Cebula-Obrzut","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, 93-510 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Agata","family":"Majchrzak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Hematology, Copernicus Memorial Hospital, 93-510 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Klaudia","family":"Szmejda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, 93-510 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Magdalena","family":"Witkowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Experimental Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, 93-510 Lodz, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1182\/blood-2014-05-577189","article-title":"Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: Optimizing outcome in the context of clinical and biologic heterogeneity","volume":"125","author":"Sehn","year":"2015","journal-title":"Blood"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1916","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2006.10.5957","article-title":"Lymphoma in older patients","volume":"25","author":"Thieblemont","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. 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